How to deal with a stuck food disposal

Family, food and fun just seem to be a theme for the holidays. Well, you can add food disposals to this list, and with all that heavy holiday partying, you can end up with one that doesn't function any longer. Here are a few things to do before calling in a pro to fix it.

Always make sure the switch is turned off before you check, test or do anything else to the food disposal.

The first thing to check is the inside of the unit, just under the drain cover. Look for stuck or jammed items. After clearing it out, test it to see if it is now working.

If not, try the reset button, located on the side of the unit under the sink. This switch is designed the cut power to the unit to protect it, should it become overloaded or stuck.

If something has become stuck inside the unit and is preventing the impellers from moving, and you can't free it or find it, most food disposals come with a wrench that can be used on the bottom of the unit to manually turn the blades to free it up. Check for debris again, press the restart button and give it another try.

If you don't have the supplied wrench, you can do the same thing from the top of the unit by putting a broom handle down into the sink drain and pushing against the impeller to see if you can free it. Check for debris, push the reset button and try again.

That's about all there is to unsticking a food disposal, so if it's not working after you have tried these tricks, you might have to call in the pros or replace it.

To avoid all of this, be careful about what you put down it. Put only small amounts of food matter into the unit, and always run water down the drain as you turn it on and continue to flush it out after you turn it off. Don't put fibrous foods, like celery and asparagus, into it. And once a month you should run it with a few ice cubes and some lemon or orange peel in it. This will keep it clean and smelling nicer.

Project protection

Many artists will cover their canvas until they are finished and can reveal their work to the world. If you've ever redone a wall or painted a mural, then you know what that feels like, or as close as most of us will ever get! Actually, covering a project wall is also a great way to shield the rest of the room from sanding dust, paint and other debris. Hang a dropcloth from the ceiling about 2 or 3 feet from the wall, as well as covering the floor. You can work behind the curtain, protect the rest of the room and have the joy of your big reveal all at the same time!

Super hints

•Keep your chain saw lubricated quickly and easily while you work by loading the oil into a travel-size squirt bottle. A cleaned-out dishwashing-soap bottle or mustard bottle also works well and won't make a mess.

•Paper clips can be used to hold an assortment of sandpaper sheets together. But then you can hang the sandpaper on your pegboard wall from the same paper clip. Hang other small items the same way.

•I have a drawer full of leftover plasticware in my shop. (I guess that tells you how we eat at our home.) I use it to mix plant fertilizer, cleaning compounds and even paint. The plasticware is made to be disposable, so it can be thrown away when you have finished using it, unlike some stirring or mixing tools you might consider using.

Q. We plan to paint our kitchen cabinets. We've looked at a variety of finishes and found what we think is going to look good in our kitchen. The only problem is, we've been told to use a shiny paint by several paint dealers. The finish we have chosen has less sheen than most of the paints they recommend. Why do they suggest a glossy paint?

A. Most glossy paints are easier to keep clean. But you can use a semigloss or an eggshell finish if you like. Also, regular cleaning with mineral spirits paint thinner will keep airborne grease from caking up on the surface.

Q. What's the deal with reversing a ceiling fan? Apparently you can do this, although I never knew it before now. Will my fan reverse? What does this accomplish?

A. In the summer, the blades should turn to push the air back down onto you to help cool you off. But in the winter, the blades can be reversed to push the warm air that collects at the ceiling back around the walls to warm you back up. Most fans have a "reverse" switch, so give it a shot and see if it helps. Most people find that it does help keep you more comfortable in the winter, and it can save you money on your heating bills.

Q. I have a battery-charged string trimmer that won't run very long. Any idea what might be the problem?

A. Make sure that it isn't clogged with weeds and that it moves freely. If you have your owner's manual, check it for a troubleshooting guide. Make sure that you use your battery charger in a warm, dry place. Excess heat or cold can prevent proper charging. It also might be time to replace the battery.

Reader tips

•I've always just tossed my old sanding belts when I've finished with them, but now I'm trying to save money, so I keep them. I have found that you can cut them into smaller pieces and use them like regular sandpaper. They last longer, too, because of the heavy-duty backing. Give it a try.

•I have added foam insulation to the pipes that run under the house. We've been lucky not to have had a problem with them freezing, but it makes sense to insulate them to save money, too. I had a piece left over and was going to put it in the garage in case I needed it, but I found a better use for it. I shoved it between the washer and dryer, aka "the black hole." Now no more socks or underwear will fall down in this area and disappear.

•I made some great plant markers for my garden. I used paint stir sticks, which I got for free at the paint store. I used a waterproof marker to write the names of the plants on the stick and then pushed them into the soil at each plant. Now I can easily determine what is what, even when the plant is not in bloom or bearing fruit. Cheap and easy, and perfect for me!

•I ended up with some extra sheet metal from a project that I helped my son with. I saved it because I thought it might come in handy. I ended up mounting it on my garage wall, and use refrigerator magnets to hold notes, receipts and other things. It is super handy, and I thought you might want to try this yourself.

•I have been told that I should have more insulation in my attic. I decided to add loose fill over the existing loose fill. To do this, I had to figure out how much I had already and then figure out how much to add. I wasn't sure how to do this but then got the idea to use a yardstick to measure the depth of the existing stuff. It was easy to do, and I was also able to locate the rafters to stand on while working up there. I didn't have to add as much as I thought once I determined the actual depth.

Shoptalk

•Craftsman's Hammerhead Auto Hammer is a must for the home workshop. The rechargeable battery gives it a lot of power and allows you to drive nails more easily into just about any material and into tight spots without bending any of them. It weighs less than 2 pounds, so it's easy to handle, yet it can drive in nails up to 3.5 inches long, and the magnetic head and nail sleeve help hold the nail until you get things started. It even has an LED work light right on the handle. Even the battery is improved and charges in only 30 minutes. Check it out at your Sears store or at sears.com.

•Master Lock will help you protect the things you love. It has a super line of all types of locks for a variety of applications. Its Nightwatch Deadbolt lock offers an extra level of security for your doors. The special design allows you to engage and disengage the lock from the inside of your home once you have it locked for the night. The Nightwatch Deadbolt resists bump attacks, which have caused other deadbolts to fail. Look for the whole line of Master Locks at your hardware store or home center. To learn more, visit the company's Web site, masterlock.com.

• Write to Al and Kelly Carrell in care of the Daily Herald, P.O. Box 280, Arlington Heights, IL 60006 or visit the Carrells' Web site at thesuperhandyman.com.

© 2010, Cowles Syndicate Inc.